The scope of the present invention is the method and apparatus for breaking apart pistachio nut shells into two disjoined halves by an individual at the time of consumption. The pistachio nuts must have at least partially opened sutures.
Pistachios are the seed of a small tree of the cashew family. They are referred to as nuts and they come in a hard smooth shell. This shell tends to split naturally along a longitudinal seam, called a suture, when the nut matures. When a suture is open, the opening is a majority of the length longitudinally and distinguishes two halves attached around one end of the pistachio nut.
Usually, 80 to 85% of a normal crop of pistachio nuts will have open sutures when they are picked from the tree. A closed nut is one that is unopened or has a partially opened suture.
Consumers of pistachios demand the shells be open along the majority of the suture. Open nuts are easier to break apart into two disjoined halves by the consumer in order to access the edible portion and eat it. However, easier does not necessarily mean easy.
Many pistachios available in the US market have gone through a process after being harvested in order to separate the split nuts from those that are closed. The methods for commercially splitting closed nuts have varied, to include hand splitting them to moisturizing the shells and squeezing them through a splitting apparatus in large quantities to provide an open split in the shell for packaging and distribution to retail outlets and the consumer.
Approximately 25 to 75% of packaged pistachios reaching the consumer are still not easy to break apart at the time of consumption. As a result, an effort is required to break apart the pistachio into two disjoined halves in order to access and eat the edible portion.
This effort often entails a method whereby the consumer places either the fingertips or the fingernails against the edges of the shell of an open or partially open pistachio nut and applies outward pressure to force the halves to break apart. As pistachios are seldom eaten singly, the fingertips or the fingernails can become torn or broken after a short period. Another method is for the consumer to bite the pistachio nut in order to split it or break it apart. This approach has led to broken teeth on many occasions. Still other methods by the consumer for breaking apart pistachio nuts have been to use various types of nut crackers, hammers or pliers, which can crush the edible portion. None of these methods is optimal.
Additionally, as much as 15% of packaged pistachios may be fully closed.
There are several patents whereby methods and apparatuses have attempted to provide a better solution. U.S. Pat. No. 4,462,156—Himelhoch, 2002/0104219—Olsen, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,339,525—Sawyer and 6,609,303—Rogel all provide for handheld apparatuses that insert protrusions into an opening in a pistachio nut and by utilizing a pivoting or rotational motion, the protrusions force the shell halves apart until they break into two disjoined halves and the edible portion is accessible. Utilizing a pivoting or rotational motion is less than optimal in that the protrusions actually move in a circular direction away from the pistachio nut the moment compression of the apparatus begins. Some pistachio nuts spread open far relative to their size before they break apart. The relationship between the aforementioned devices and a pistachio nut is further complicated if the open part of the suture is at the opposite end of the shell and not on the side, as the shell halves open rationally as well. U.S. Pat. No. 4,462,156—Himelhoch applies a raised portion to the protrusions to protect them from being inserted too far into the pistachio nut, but uses two flat protrusions facing one another, as does U.S. Pat. No. 6,609,303—Rogel. U.S. Pat. No. 5,339,524—Sawyer, aligns the edges of the protrusions in one horizontal plane, and by compressing the apparatus, forces the protrusions to move in a direction perpendicular to the horizontal plane of the protrusion tip blades. In this regard, U.S. Pat. No. 5,339,524—Sawyer improves over U.S. Pat. No. 6,609,303—Rogel, but does not resolve the rotational aspect of the nut openers, and does not prevent the protrusion tips from being inserted too far into the pistachio nut, possibly causing damage to the edible portion.
Moreover, the design of U.S. Pat. No. 5,339,524—Sawyer may not be comfortable for an individual to use as a wire is narrow and will cause pressure to be focused on a concentrated portion of the thumb and fingers when used repeatedly in a short period of time. This design also allows for the apparatus to twist in the hand during compression.
Of consequence is the habit of consumers to eat many pistachios in one sitting further exacerbating any frustration of breaking apart pistachio nuts through less than optimal means, and possibly intensifying any damage to fingertips or fingernails.